


My Husband and my Dead Husband

by agrajag



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 21:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20785253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agrajag/pseuds/agrajag
Summary: Richie had always thought that when people said it eventually would hurt less, they were full of shit. When he was carving his and Eddie's initials into the Kissing Bridge, he could never imagine that the gaping hole Eddie had left behind could ever heal. Yet, somehow... over time, that was exactly what happened. Yes, it hurt less, although the pain didn't fully go away. Richie would see something that reminded him of Eddie, and suddenly he was crying in the middle of the street, but he was able to move on.





	My Husband and my Dead Husband

**Author's Note:**

> sort of based on [my wife and my dead wife by robyn hitchock and the egyptians](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBrX__d-bf4)

Richie had always thought that when people said it eventually would hurt less, they were full of shit. When he was carving his and Eddie's initials into the Kissing Bridge, he could never imagine that the gaping hole Eddie had left behind could ever heal. Yet, somehow... over time, that was exactly what happened. Yes, it hurt less, although the pain didn't fully go away. Richie would see something that reminded him of Eddie, and suddenly he was crying in the middle of the street, but he was able to move on.  
  
Rob wasn't like Eddie in many ways, but that's probably why Richie loved him. Rob loved the outdoors, he worked with his hands, and he was quiet spoken. He could hold his own with Richie, though. No one could stop them when they started slinging jokes back and forth.  
  
They got married in a field surrounded by family and friends, and Richie cried more than he'd ever admit. But he figured he was allowed to. Even three years ago, he would have been too scared to hold Rob's hand in public, let alone exchange vows. He had come a long way.  
  
The Losers Club were Richie's grooms people, a space between Mike and Ben for Eddie. Richie liked to imagine he was cursing him up in heaven for the overly sappy gesture.  
  
For their honeymoon, Rob took Richie rock climbing at a local resort (and Richie was awful) and then they spent the rest of the week at home, relaxing.  
  
Well, and some fucking, thank you very much.  
  
One morning after a particularly _eventful_ night, Richie headed downstairs first to put on a pot of coffee as Rob was getting dressed. He was just adding the finishing touches when Rob snuck up behind him and wrapped his arms around him.  
  
"We have company coming?" he asked as he gave Richie a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Of course not," Richie said. "It's our honeymoon. Why would..."  
  
Okay, that was weird.  
  
He had made up three cups of coffee instead of two.  
  
"Think you need this more than me," Rob joked as he grabbed his mug.  
  
Richie stared at the two remaining mugs as Rob walked out of the kitchen. Had he gotten distracted? How distracted, though? He didn't know anyone who drank it black, so it's not like he was like, 'Bev is coming over for brunch.'  
  
"Well, I can't have lactose," came an all too familiar voice from behind him, and Richie almost dropped his mug. "And like the rude asshole you are, you don't keep non-dairy creamer on hand."  
  
"It's not real, it's not real, it's not real," Richie chanted under his breath as he turned around.  
  
Well, he's officially gone crazy, because Eddie was sitting at the kitchen table.  
  
"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?" Eddie asked.  
  
"A dead one, yeah," Richie shot back. "And I don't know if friend..."  
  
"Yeah," Eddie said with a sigh. "We may have only had a few minutes together, but I'd like to think it counted."  
  
A few minutes. Eddie bleeding out as Richie held his totally nonabsorbent leather jacket to the wound. Whispered love confessions as the rest of the Losers were shouting in the background. And then Eddie told Richie he should join them. That he'd be fine.  
  
"It did. So, can ghosts even drink coffee?" Richie asked, but he handed the third mug to Eddie anyway.  
  
"Not exactly, but it's still nice to pretend."  
  
"Well, be my guest then."  
  
"Thanks Richie."  
  
The two of them (or Richie by himself as he hallucinated, who knows) simply sat there drinking their coffee in silence for awhile. What would Richie say, anyway?  
  
I'm sorry I got you killed? I'm sorry I moved on?  
  
"Rob's pretty hot... if you don't mind me saying."  
  
Richie spit his coffee out.  
  
Eddie started laughing at him. The dick.  
  
"What the fuck, Eds?"  
  
"I could hear you thinking from here. I _had_ to break the tension."  
  
"So, you're not mad?" Richie asked quietly. In that moment, he was that scared little 13 year old kid again.  
  
"I'm mad I died before I could be true to myself. I'm mad I didn't get to be the one at the alter with you. I'm maybe a little mad Rob is _way_ hotter than me." Richie snorted at that. "But I could never be mad at you for living your life, Richie. Never."  
  
And, well, fuck. Richie was crying.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Eds." Because he should say it anyway. "I miss you so much, you have no idea."  
  
"I miss you too."  
  
"Why haven't I seen you before this?"  
  
"I know about as much as you do about how this works. Maybe we needed closure?"  
  
"Well, that's a crock of shit."  
  
Eddie laughed again.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right."  
  
"I'm always right," Richie said smugly.  
  
"Yes you are, baby," Rob said.  
  
Wait.  
  
_Rob._  
  
"Hey Rob. Do you see the man sitting at the table?"  
  
"You mean this incredibly handsome devil in front of me?" Rob asked before dipping down for a kiss.  
  
Eddie mimed gagging behind him.  
  
"No, I meant this guy..."  
  
"Were you planning on drinking this too?" Rob picked up the other mug and Richie shook his head. Rob dumped the coffee down the sink. "I ordered enough waffles to feed an army. It should be here in 45 minutes. Meet me upstairs while we wait?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. Just gimme a minute, okay?"  
  
Eddie was still sitting there as Rob left the kitchen and Richie sighed.  
  
"What do I do?"  
  
"Go have sex with your hot husband, dipshit."  
  
"You're not watching," Richie said, pointing accusingly at the ghost.  
  
"Oh. Ew. No. I can leave."  
  
"For good?"  
  
Eddie thought for a moment.  
  
"I don't think so. I'm sure you'll see me again."  
  
"Good. I don't think I could stand you... ghosting me."  
  
"Never mind. I hate you," Eddie said with a groan.  
  
"I love you too," Richie said, and Eddie disappeared.  
  
Richie took a moment to gather himself before he knocked back the rest of his coffee and headed upstairs.  
  
Rob was waiting for him, after all.


End file.
